72 Gallon Bow Tank Planning

[Joey2619]

Hello, right now we've got a 72g Bow with two larger goldfish. One 3inch w/o tail Blue Oranda, and one 5inch w/o tail Comet.

Right now we're using a Fluval 403 cannister filter, with a dual output air pump w/ two bubble wands.

Here is the question....

Where do we go with this tank, we want to keep the fish we have, adding more, with the Comet eventually going into a pond.

Guidelines:

We want a balanced planted aquarium.
We want different substrate.

Now what's first step to getting this project on the way?

As you can see there isnt much in the tank.

 

[WaterPond]

Ok, for a planted tank you will need to get hardy plants that the fish will not eat. Look into java moss, java fern, crypts, and anubias.

Some black gravel would be nice

As for toher fish, i would get three dojo loaches, and a school of danios or minnows. (zebra danios, or white cloud mountain minnows)

Thats all i wouls go with.

Make sure you still have lots of swimming space for the goldies.

GOOD LUCK!!

 

[Joey2619]

The goldies wont bother the smaller fish? And we just dump the water straight from the faucet into the tank, because its already of the right parameters. The tank isnt heated.

 

[rich311k]

The goldies should not eat the minnows. You may want to do just one or two more fancy goldies and call it a day. Goldies are plant eaters so tough plants like Waterpond suggested are you best bet. Water from the tap at the right temperature treated with dechlor is fine. You may want to get a heater to insure a constant temperature.

 

[JustOneMore20]

A 72g bow would make a beautiful planted community tank. Any chance both goldies could go in the pond? There aren't too many plants that are goldfish safe, so you are pretty limited. Most are low light though, so lighting wouldn't have to be extreme. And with a lowlight tank you could just use regular gravel.

 

[Joey2619]

I know the 72g Bow would make a beautiful community, but the thing is my mom likes goldfish because they have "personality" which they do no doubt. But Ive got my 30g comm to pimp out in the meantime. I want to get some decent lighting in there, and some better substrate.

 

[DepotFish]

That tank is well-stocked as is right now. I wouldn't add more fish until you get the comet into a pond. With the bioload of goldfish you should have about 10 gallons for each three inch fish. From that picture it looks like your estimates of the comet's size are conservative, as you can see, there is little swimming space for that fish.

 

[Joey2619]

Bringing the thread back from the dead.

The Comet unfortunately died, which we presume from natural causes, because the water was pristine.

Besides that, the only thing that has changed is that my mother recent purchased two small goldies.

Right now, I have two Pictus cats in my 30g tank. The tanks is too small for the pictus cats, so Im thinking about getting a thermometer and heater for the 72g and stabilize the temperature, then lower the pH a tad to accommodate the Pictus and the goldies.

Anyone have any ideas about that?